# Photography and illustration

> Sourcing rules, treatment, and the abstract illustration style.

---

LLMS index: [llms.txt](/brand/v2.0.1/llms.txt)

---

## Sources

**Preferred:** Unsplash and Pexels — royalty-free, no attribution required for
commercial use. Commission custom photography where possible, from local
European photographers.

**Never use:** watermarked Shutterstock or Getty imagery, or AI-generated
imagery.

Every photograph must pass the test: **"would a developer trust this?"** Stock
imagery of handshakes in glass lobbies fails it. A real desk, real hardware, or
real people working passes it.

## Treatment

- Photographs in dark mode receive a subtle black overlay so they do not punch a
  hole in the page.
- The logo never sits directly on an unmodified photograph — see
  [Logo usage](/brand/v2.0.1/docs/logo/usage/).
- Never place text over a busy region. Add a scrim or crop to a quiet area.

## Illustration

The illustration style is **abstract system diagrams** — nodes, flows, and
pipelines drawn in the brand palette.

- Midnight for structure, slate for supporting lines, accent for the single
  element that matters.
- Dashed strokes indicate inferred or optional relationships.
- Labels use Source Sans 3; never letter-space diagram labels.
- Diagrams are line-based, not filled — the system reads as engineering
  drawing, not infographic.

<div class="pj-rules"><div class="pj-rule pj-rule--do">
  <div class="pj-rule__label">Do</div>
  <p>Draw the actual architecture. Use accent once per diagram, on the element the
reader should look at first.</p>
</div>
<div class="pj-rule pj-rule--dont">
  <div class="pj-rule__label">Don't</div>
  <p>Use isometric 3D illustration, gradient-filled shapes, or generic &ldquo;tech&rdquo; clip
art.</p>
</div>
</div>